Suncliffe Gin just announced the launch of its brand-new Solstice Gin, a limited edition and seasonal barrel-aged gin available in just 800 bottles. Beginning today, Wednesday, December 14, you can purchase a bottle at Westbound, Tap & Bottle North, and Rum Runner (more locations to be selling it soon).
What to expect from the new gin
Rested in charred American oak whiskey barrels, Solstice Gin offers a new perspective on Suncliffe’s unique blend of Arizona botanicals.
“With a complex warmth on the palette and a hue evocative of Sedona’s golden aura, this seasonal offering from Suncliffe invites you to explore a higher plane and enjoy the view.”
Suncliffe highlights local plant species, combining a trio of native Arizona juniper — one-seed, shaggy, and alligator — with a blend of wild-foraged botanicals, including ponderosa pine bark, manzanita, and western elderflower. Plus, the gin is vapor-infused in custom copper stills and non-chill filtered, resulting in a botanical twist on the classic spirit that sparks the imagination — a postcard from the Southwest.
Solstice Gin Tasting Notes & Ingredients
Desert honey on the nose. Nutty caramel on the front, leading into stone fruit, with a subtly spiced finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with a silky mouth feel. Suncliffe’s botanical profile is truly unique, with two of the ingredients — manzanita and ponderosa pine bark — requiring individual FDA approval.
Aside from the retailers mentioned earlier (Westbound, Tap & Bottle North, and Rum Runner), Suncliffe’s Solstice Gin will soon be available at select retailers in Arizona and New York for $49.99. For a list of retailers that may be selling it in the future, visit suncliffegin.com.
Suncliffe is a woman and LGBTQ-owned and operated business supporting local communities. With this new release, the team continues its mission to “showcase the unique botanicals of the Southwest and challenge traditional notions of gin.”
Holiday Bazaar at Westbound
If you’d like to taste the new Solstice Gin, Suncliffe will be set up at Westbound’s Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, December 17. You’ll be able to pick up a bottle for home and the team will also be serving up a special cocktail for the occasion from 6 – 8 p.m.
Learn more about the event by following Westbound on Facebook.
Sonoran Chinese X-Mas Feast
On Tuesday, December 20, Suncliffe is participating in the Chinese Sonoran X-Mas Feast at Maynards — Suncliffe’s gin will be incorporated into the Welcome Cocktail.
The dinner will be focused on chiltepin’s native culinary heritage to the southwest while exploring how it can be utilized to evoke Chinese cuisine. Each ticket includes a multi-course meal, a Peking Duck demonstration by Forbes Meat Co., a Hand-Pulled Noodles demonstration by chef Yeh, a large selection of vegan and gluten-free dishes, and a gift bag.
Tickets are still available for purchase, which are $175 per person or $250 for couples.
Learn more about the one-of-a-kind dinner by reading our article “Tucson Foodie & Maynards presents: A Chinese Sonoran X-Mas Feast.”
For more information on Suncliffe Gin and where to find a bottle, visit suncliffegin.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
